The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of lily, botanically known as Lilium asiatic and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Marlene.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objectives of creating new lily cultivars with the capacity to produce stems and flowers for cut-flower production.
The new cultivar was originated from a hybridization made by the inventor Messr. Petrus Mattheus Maria Hoff in a controlled breeding program at Hoffgaarde, B.V., Franseweg 9, 4651 PV Steenbergen, The Netherlands in 1989. The female and male parents were seedlings originated by Applicant, which were proprietary, and maintained by Applicant for breeding purposes.
The new cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor on May 25, 1991 in a controlled environment in Steenbergen.
The first act of asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was accomplished by the invention when scales were taken from the initial selection on Oct. 30, 1991 in a controlled environment in Steenbergen.
Horticultural examination of selected units initiated Apr. 1, 1992 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light, intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Steenbergen under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new cultivar which in combination distinguish this lily as a new and distinct cultivar.
1) Flower color having an interesting white-blushed-with-red at the tips, with tepals having an essentially white ground color centrally, with soft but progressively more intensive red blush with progressive proximity toward apex of each tepal, and with white bottom surfaces.
2) About 110 cm in height.
3) Pedicel 10-12 cm in length with 4-6 flowers.
4) Rather thick and stiff, smallish leaves.